Hope In The Ashes
by Leon Sage
Summary: After the battle ends. The city isn't the only thing that's broken.


Steve leaned against a blackened police car and took off his mask. The smell of burning flesh signed his throat and the sky was dark with the smoke being spewed out of buildings. It was eerily quiet for four in the afternoon, even the birds weren't singing anymore. Everything still, silent… dead. He looked around him at the rubble on the roads and the broken cars strewn around him and spotted a small doll half stuck under a car that had been clawed in two.

Slowly he rose and went to it, picking it up gently and looking at the doll's smile that seemed too innocent for the chaos around him. There was a clang as his shield fell to the ground and soon he joined it, leaning against the ruined car. He stared at the doll and after a while, he realized that there were tears flowing down his face. Steve looked up when he heard someone land near him and quickly wiped his eyes dry.

Thor knelt down next to Steve and put his hand on Steve's knee. 'What is wrong, Steve?' Thor said and Steve showed him the doll. 'I wonder where the girl that owned this is,' he said in a small voice, 'If she's even alive to begin with.' Thor sighed and set Mjolnir down before sitting next to Steve and taking the doll from Steve's hands. 'Do not think of such things, Steven,' he said quietly and smiled at him, 'We have won, that is what matters.'

Steve scoffed and looked away. 'Yeah, win,' he said then gestured to the place around them, 'And this is the cost.' Thor sighed and put his arm around Steve, trying to console him. 'Steven, there are always victims in the course of war. It is the ability to save and rebuild that is crucial,' Thor said and Tony looked down. 'Yeah… I guess so,' he said, then got up and smiled a sad smile at Thor, 'I'm just gonna take a walk, okay? Clear my mind.' Thor simply looked up at him and nodded.

Walking through the city, Steve saw people helping others, patching up cuts and handing around bottles of water to each other. As he passed them, some of them smiled at him and others cheered, but Steve saw some of them that were utterly lost, confused and scared. He moved on, suddenly wanting to dodge any person that he passed by.

Steve ended up in an alley near one of the coffee shops that he remembered having taken in a meal at and just stood there, back against the wall, looking down with a heavy heart. 'Mr. America?' a small voice came from somewhere down the alley and Steve looked up, looking for the voice. A young girl came from behind one of the dumpsters, ashen faced with tear tracks slowly drying. Her clothes were in tatters and Steve guessed correctly that she was one of the thousands of homeless children that roamed the streets of New York.

'It's okay,' he said and smiled, 'It's over.' The girl ran to him and hugged him, burying her face in the fabric that covered Steve's stomach. He hugged her and stroked her hair, telling her that everything is okay. 'What's your name?' he said and she looked up at him, her wide eyes brimming with tears. 'Amber,' she said and tugged on his arm, 'Mr. America, please help my momma. She's stuck.'

Steve, suddenly alert, followed her down the alley and through two blocks of rubble and they came to a partially blown building. Under the rubble at one side, Steve spotted a lady that was half buried in the wreckage. He told Amber to stay where she was and went to help the lady. He began to pick up the huge stones but couldn't move some of them. Steve looked down at the lady and went to her, took her hand and knelt down. 'I'm gonna get some help,' he said, but the woman held on tightly to him, her eyes wide with determination. 'Take… care of her,' she said and coughed up a little blood. Steve's breath caught in his throat and he nodded at the lady. 'Promise me,' she said and Steve saw that she didn't have much time left. 'I promise,' he said and kissed her forehead, 'I promise.'

The woman closed her eyes and as she drew her last breath, she whispered, 'Thank you.'

Steve let go of her and went over to Amber who was still standing where he left her. 'Why aren't you helping momma?' she said and Steve took her up in his arms and hugged her close to him. 'You're gonna come live with me, okay?' Steve said and Amber looked over to the rubble and then back at Steve, a tear rolling down her cheek and she nodded.

Thor met Steve a few streets away, shield in one hand and hammer on his waist. he saw the girl with Steve and a confused look crossed his face. Steve looked up at him and said, 'I promised I would take care of her.' Thor looked from Steve to her and smiled. Amber shyly looked at him and smiled. 'I am Thor,' he said and Amber shook his hand. 'I'm Amber,' she said and Thor smiled at Steve. 'We shall raise her as our own,' he said and Steve raised his eyebrows. 'We…?' he said and Thor bent down and pressed his lips against Steve's. when he let go, Steve smirked at him and Amber laughed. 'I have two daddies now?' she said and Thor put his arm around Steve and said with a happy chuckle, 'Yes, my young one, you have two fathers.'


End file.
